


Songs I Can't Listen To

by xhangemhighx



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Bending (Avatar TV), Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Character Death, Depression, M/M, Sad, Sokka (Avatar) Needs a Hug, based on a neon trees song, zukka - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:54:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25342789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xhangemhighx/pseuds/xhangemhighx
Summary: When his soulmate dies, Sokka can't listen to the same songs he used to.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 140





	Songs I Can't Listen To

**Author's Note:**

> Songs I Can't Listen To by Neon Trees is one of my guilty pleasure songs. It came up on my Youtube playlist and gave me this wonderful idea. It's not the exact same as the song because Zuko died and didn't break up with him, but I did my best. Also partially inspired by the post by transzukostanblog on tumblr.

Sokka skipped the first song. Then the next one and the one after that. Soon enough, he'd skipped his entire playlist. It was their dancing playlist. Sokka would play it in the kitchen after dinner, then grab Zuko by the waist and dance with him. Zuko would laugh and press small kisses to Sokka's jaw. Sokka would sing along and whisper sweet nothings into Zuko's ear. They'd twirl around in the kitchen, lost in their own world.

All of that was gone now. It'd been a week since the accident. His soulmate had been hit by a drunk driver and had ended up in the hospital. Sokka hadn't known until it was too late. He'd collapsed on the floor of his office when he felt the stabbing pain in his chest. And he knew immediately that the love of his life was dead. His father had told him about the feeling once, but he had never expected it to be like this. To feel so empty and broken.

A coworker had found him a few minutes later, in a heap under his desk. She was older and had understood what had happened. She'd picked him up off the ground and hugged him. Diane, her nametag read, asked him if he wanted to call someone. Not long after the call, Katara arrived and swept him into a huge hug. He cried into her shoulder for a while. She took him to the hospital to see Zuko for the last time and he managed to contain his crying when he talked to the doctors.

The funeral was a few days later. Iroh was the first to arrive. He looked almost as bad as Sokka felt. The death of his beloved nephew had been unexpected and hard on him. Next was Katara and Aang, who hugged him so tight he felt like he would explode. Hakoda came after them and stood next to Sokka for the entire funeral. He didn't want his son to do this alone.

Sokka kept staring at Zuko, lying motionless in the casket. He was so pale and beautiful, but even the mortician's makeup couldn't change the fact that he was dead. He looked so alive, like he'd wake up any second and smile, then ask Sokka why he looked so sad. Sokka wished that were the case. That Zuko had survived and woken up to see Sokka next to him, waiting in the uncomfortable hospital chair.

Sokka sat on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He hadn't put away Zuko's things and couldn't bear to. He kept wearing the oversized red jacket that smelled like Zuko and made tea with the tea bags Zuko always kept in the kitchen cabinet. 

Sokka opened the nightstand drawer, his hand hesitating to grab a small black box in the very back. He opened it, running his pointer finger along the gold band. Tears fell on the inscription that read "Forever yours."

Sokka took a deep, gasping breath and shoved the box back where it had came from. He'd found it the day before while looking for a pen. Zuko had always kept them organized, but Sokka was a mess now that Zuko was gone.

Sokka's phone buzzed. A text from Katara. _Do you want me to come over?_ Sokka stared at the screen. Katara was only trying to help, but he couldn't stop the wave of jealousy and sadness that overcame him whenever he saw her and Aang together. It'd get better someday, but not now. _No, I'm fine._ Sokka replied. Katara didn't text him back.

Music filtered through the thin bedroom wall separating his apartment and his neighbor's. Favorite Record by Fall Out Boy. Sokka remembered their first date. Zuko had his phone plugged into the car, Fall Out Boy softly playing from his speakers. They'd drove through the Dairy Queen drive through and sat in the parking lot, eating ice cream and talking. Zuko had pulled Sokka in for a kiss, their sticky mouths tasting like vanilla. Patrick Stump sang in the background as their lips collided "And I spin for you like your favorite records used to."

Sokka buried his face in a pillow, but the music didn't stop. It went on, playing the rest of the album and a few songs from MANIA before it ended. Sokka was still curled up in bed, but not blocking out the sound. The music brought back old memories he hadn't thought of until now. Zuko falling into the fountain in a garden, Zuko kissing him in the rain with no umbrella, Zuko tucking a rose behind his ear. All of those small, sweet moments that Sokka had loved. Now that Zuko was gone, he'd cherish them. All he had left was the past.


End file.
